Alarm-Associated Containers in Plant Diagrams of Technical Plants

Abstract

A control system for a technical plant, in particular processing or manufacturing plant, includes an operator station server and an operator station client, wherein the operator station server transmits a plant diagram of the technical plant to the operator station client for control and observation purposes, where the operator station client visually and possibly acoustically renders a plant diagram with a variable diagram element to an operator, an alarm service implemented on the operator station server transmits alarm notifications to the operator station client for output to the operator, where the control system provides the variable diagram element with a reference to a particular alarm notification that arises and provides the particular alarm notification that arises and/or the variable diagram element with a reference to an object, such that, when the particular alarm notification arises does arise, the object is visually and possibly acoustically rendered in the variable diagram element.

1 .- 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . A control system for a technical plant, the control system comprising:
 an operator station server; and   an operator station client;   wherein for activation and monitoring, the operator station server is configured to transmit a plant diagram of the technical plant to the operator station client, the plant diagram comprising at least one variable diagram element   wherein the operator station client is configured to visually, and optionally acoustically, represent the plant diagram with the variable diagram element to an operator of the technical plant;   wherein an alarm service is implemented on the operator station server, said alarm service being configured to transmit alarm notifications occurring in the control system to the operator station client for presentation to the operator;   wherein the control system is configured to provide at least one of (i) the variable diagram element with a reference to a particular alarm notification which can occur and the particular alarm notification which can occur and (ii) the variable diagram element with a reference to an object such that, when the particular alarm notification which can occur does occur, the object is visually and optionally acoustically represented in the variable diagram element, the object representing a real-time diagram data source, a further plant diagram, a video or a document.   
     
     
         16 . The control system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the plant diagram comprises a plurality of variable diagram elements;
 wherein the control system is further configured to provide at least one of (i) the variable diagram elements with one reference respectively to a particular alarm notification that can occur and the particular alarm notification that can occur and (ii) the variable diagram elements with a reference to an object such that, when the particular alarm notification which can occur does occur, the object is respectively visually and optionally acoustically represented in the variable diagram element; and   wherein the particular diagram elements which can occur and the objects can differ from each other.   
     
     
         17 . The control system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein, in addition to the referenced object, the control system is further configured to also represent items of information relating to the alarm notification in the variable diagram element or in the plurality of variable diagram elements when a referenced alarm notification occurs. 
     
     
         18 . The control system as claimed in  claim 16 , wherein, in addition to the referenced object, the control system is further configured to also represent items of information relating to the alarm notification in the variable diagram element or in the plurality of variable diagram elements when a referenced alarm notification occurs. 
     
     
         19 . The control system as claimed in  claim 17 , wherein the items of information relating to the alarm notification comprises an alarm notification text. 
     
     
         20 . The control system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein the items of information relating to the alarm notification comprises an alarm notification text. 
     
     
         21 . The control system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein the control system is further configured to provide at least one of (i) the variable diagram element or the plurality of variable diagram elements with a plurality of references to particular alarm notifications which can occur and the particular alarm notifications which can occur and (ii) the variable diagram elements with one reference respectively to an object such that, when one of the particular alarm notifications that can occur does occur, the respective referenced object is visually and optionally acoustically represented in the variable diagram element. 
     
     
         22 . The control system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein when a plurality of the referenced alarm notifications which can occur do occur in a same period of time, the control system is configured to represent that object in the variable diagram element which is referenced by that alarm notification that occurs, which has a highest priority or a most recent time ranking or which has not been acknowledged. 
     
     
         23 . The control system as claimed in  claim 21 , wherein when a plurality of the referenced alarm notifications which can occur do occur in a same period of time, the control system is further configured to represent at least one of (i) the objects referenced by the occurring alarm notifications and (ii) the variable diagram elements in a manner which is manually changeable by an operator of the control system or in a manner which changes automatically over time. 
     
     
         24 . The control system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein in a time range in which none of the particular alarm notifications occurs, the control system is further configured to generate a visual and optionally an acoustic representation of an object different from the referenced object(s) in the variable diagram element. 
     
     
         25 . The control system as claimed  claim 15 , wherein the technical plant comprises a processing or manufacturing plant. 
     
     
         26 . A method for operating a technical plant having a control system including an operator station server and an operator station client which is configured to visually, and optionally acoustically, represent a plant diagram with a variable diagram element to an operator of the technical plant, an alarm service being implemented on the operator station server and configured to transmit alarm notifications occurring in the control system to the operator station client for presentation to the operator, the method comprising:
 a) providing the variable diagram element with a reference to a particular alarm notification which can occur;   b) providing the particular alarm notification which can occur with a reference to an object; and   c) representing, visually and optionally acoustically, the object in the variable diagram element by the operator station client when the particular alarm notification which can occur does occur, the object representing a real-time diagram data source, a further plant diagram, a video or a document.   
     
     
         27 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein a plurality of variable diagram elements is provided with one reference respectively to at least one particular alarm notification which can occur;
 wherein the at least one particular alarm notification which can occur is provided with one reference respectively to an object, the at least one particular alarm notification which can occur being a single object or a plurality of objects;   wherein, the object or the objects is/are visually and optionally acoustically represented in the variable diagram element(s) by the operator station client when one of the particular alarm notifications which can occur does occur.   
     
     
         28 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein, in addition to the referenced object, items of information relating to the alarm notification are also represented in the variable diagram element or in the plurality of variable diagram elements when a referenced alarm notification occurs. 
     
     
         29 . The method as claimed in  claim 27 , wherein, in addition to the referenced object, items of information relating to the alarm notification are also represented in the variable diagram element or in the plurality of variable diagram elements when a referenced alarm notification occurs. 
     
     
         30 . The method as claimed in  claim 28 , wherein the items of information relating to the alarm notification comprise an alarm notification text. 
     
     
         31 . The method as claimed in  claim 29 , wherein the items of information relating to the alarm notification comprise an alarm notification text. 
     
     
         32 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein the variable diagram element or the plurality of variable diagram elements is provided with a plurality of references to particular alarm notifications which can occur and the particular alarm notifications which can occur is provided with one reference respectively to an object such that, when one of the particular alarm notifications that can occur does occur, the respective referenced object is visually and optionally acoustically represented in the variable diagram element. 
     
     
         33 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein when a plurality of the referenced alarm notifications which can occur does occur during a same period of time, the object is represented in the variable diagram element which is referenced by that alarm notification which occurs, which has a highest priority or a most recent time ranking or which has not been acknowledged. 
     
     
         34 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein when a plurality of the referenced alarm notifications which can occur does occur during a same period of time, the objects referenced by the occurring alarm notifications are represented in a manner which is manually changeable by an operator of the control system or in a manner which changes automatically over time. 
     
     
         35 . The method as claimed in  claim 26 , wherein in a time range in which none of the particular alarm notifications occurs, a visual and optionally an acoustic representation of an object different from the referenced object(s) is generated in the variable diagram element. 
     
     
         36 . The method as claimed  claim 26 , wherein the technical plant comprises a processing or manufacturing plant.